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Build up others this Lent with your thoughts on the Sunday Mass readings and meditation. Three questions for reflection and discussion will be offered for each of the six Sundays during Lent. Please pray through the questions and share your insights or what the Lord spoke to you in the comments area below. Your words will inspire others in The Word Among Us community and encourage them during this grace-filled season.
Meditation & Questions on Ephesians 2:4-10
We are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance. (Ephesians 2:10)
When we think about these words, we can see that God wants us to use our gifts and talents for the “good works” of building his kingdom here on earth. It’s clear, also, that he has a plan for how each of us should use our talents—the best way that we can contribute to his work.
It sounds so encouraging, doesn’t it? But there is a catch: We are free to decide whether or not we will follow his plan. There’s another catch as well: If we aren’t listening to the Lord, we won’t discover his plan for us. That is why it is so important that we try to ask…
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I am still asking the Lord what is my purpose on earth. Sometimes I think that he wants me to be a missionary, since I am quite old and single. But I don’t want to be that, and I want to live in the world with my family and friends and to show God’s love through my actions and words. Is this a sign?
jenx: I have resently just retired. I now feel that I can really giveb and be active in church. I am exploring this by signing up for the Virtus sessions to see if I could help doing Cathechism classes. I will pray about this. I think I have a rapport with children. So possibly this is what God is calling me to become involved in.
pinkth. Sometimes God does indeed ask us to be missionary’s. But maybe He is asking you to do your work right where you are. It doesn’t have to be in the jungles of who knows where. Look around in your parish for your mission to go on. A soup kitchen, clothing drive, RCIA classes might benifit from your experience, teach a bible study, lead a prayer group, maybe just have a coffee hour and talk about your faith. Maybe your mission is to just encourage others via good Catholic websites like this one. Remember Martha and Mary. While one sat at the feet of Jesus, the other just had the “unimportant” job of fixing supper for the Lord. We all serve in different ways and with different talents.
To the answer to question one: How have you seen God’s plan for your life unfold? I think about my volunteering to be a CCD teacher these past 14 years. I never sought that position to be a teacher, yet one particular nun at our Church continued to pursue that request of me until finally I gave in and accepted that opportunity. I was reluctant to accept the position because I feared that I was inadequate to do the job well. When I am in the classroom with those children I have the feeling without any doubt that this is exactly where God wants me to be! I didn’t seek out to be a teacher, the opportunity sought me. Another time my Church music minister approached me to be a Eucharistic Minister, asked me if I was interested and if so, she would contact the church office and have them call me. She knew that there was a need of someone to fill their Saturday evening mass slot, and she saw me attend Saturday evening masses all the time. I have been an Eucharistic Minister now for over three years and I feel very blessed to be able to serve my Church community in that capacity. Once again, I did not seek this position, but was given that opportunity to accept it or not. God is like that, He never intrudes or imposes things on us, but presents blessed opportunities for us to grow into a deeper relationship with Him. How much better than by using the talents He has given us and serving our community with those talents, all in bringing everyone in contact to a closer and more intimate relationship with God. When we are open with our heart to listen and be aware of God in our lives, we can see these opportunities all around us. I would encourage my family and friends to just be open, even if you think that you are not qualified for the job, keep an open mind to what God is presenting to you. Sometimes just accepting it is all that God wants from us, because the rest He will do for you! God bless!
How wonderful the Lord is! This is a great question for graduating Seniors in High School, who are making decisions of what to do with their lives, what to study in college, looking for what would be better, make more money, etc.. I am blessed with 6 children, my youngest graduating this year, I have seen when they decide to do , what they want to do, and then,I have seen what the Lord wants unfold before them. The Lord says” Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lords’s purpose that prevails.” (Prov. 19:21)
We were all created, like the scripture says in Eph 2:10, a masterpiece, for our God, to serve, to love, and we will rejoice, and be content, be fullfilled, because we are living as we where intended, BUT! We cannnot live or walk in that way unless, we have Jesus as LORD!!!! Until we surrender our lives, until we desire to be His completely! Our Lord Jesus told Nicodemus that we needed to be born again if we wanted to see His Kingdom. Once we truly belong to Him, and seek Him with all our hearts, God says we will find Him (Jere 29-11…) I have dicovered that as I continue to find Him, in scripture, in His Presence at Adoration, in the Holy Mass,in Prayer, that what I was created for gracefully begins to fall in place,
All my children have been called for music ministry, they have had that talent surface since “band” in school, but, not until they surrendered their lives to the Lord, and the grace of being “reborn” again,(through an ACTS retreat) did that talent and gift shine for the Lord. The annointing of the Lord, in the gift, and talent that is in them, like for all of us, will cause God to be Glorified, and that is what we are living for!
Carol’s comment ‘..... I was created for gracefully begins to fall in place ...’ is perfectly put. For a long time, I was looking for the ‘bigger picture’ but then realised that God’s plans for me has always been unfolding right before my eyes on a daily basis. I give thanks for the good things that come my way. I also give thanks for the ‘bad’ things that come my way - except that now, I the perceive the ‘not so good’ things with a difference - there is a positive side to it and it is another of the good Lord’s plan unfolding for me. Have a good day, all!